Preventing Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis

Preventing Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis
Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis is a very new disease, first
described in 2000, and as such, much research is still
required on the subject. It seems to affect only those with
moderate to severe kidney disease, and has a strong link to
gadolinium-based contrast dyes, though the link has not
been confirmed as a cause and effect link yet.

Treatment and prevention methods still need to be further
investigated, but a number of different options have been
tried that may be helpful.

Preventing Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis by Improving Your
Renal Functioning

Since Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis appears to occur only
in those with moderate to severe kidney disease, one way of
helping to prevent it could be to work on improving your
renal functioning. Kidney patients should begin dialysis as
soon as possible, and any other measures that could help
strengthen your renal system could also help to prevent
nephrogenic systemic fibrosis.

Avoid Gadolinium-Based Contrast Dyes If You Have Kidney
Disease

If you have kidney disease and need to undergo an MRI scan,
then request that gadolinium-based contrast dyes are not
used, as these have a strong link to the development of
nephrogenic systemic fibrosis. Although it has not been
confirmed whether this is a cause and effect link, the FDA
has warned against the use of gadolinium-based contrast
dyes for kidney patients. It has been discovered that
individuals undergoing MRI/MRA are highly associated with
developing NSF, especially when they receive gadolinium.

Keep Informed About Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis

Since Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis is such a new disease,
there aren't a lot of verified studies at present on how to
prevent it. But if you are concerned about this, it is
important that you keep up to date on what researchers are
learning about this disease.

New information will become increasingly available as more
studies are done into this area, and this will help you to
learn more about how to prevent Nephrogenic Systemic
Fibrosis.

Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis is a new disease that was
first described in 2000; as such there is as yet no
confirmed way to prevent it. But, you may be able to
prevent Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis by improving your
renal functioning and avoiding gadolinium-based contrast
dyes if you already have kidney disease.

Usually, individuals who suffer from NSF are known to have
swollen limbs that harden at the joints, causing an
inability to walk or function without assistance.

----------------------------------------------------
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Are You Sabotaging Your Fat Loss?

Are You Sabotaging Your Fat Loss?
I've been told by some of my friends and clients that they
just can't lose fat.

They try and try, but nothing happens.

They exercise. They eat "right". They do all the right
things.

Does that sound familiar?

However, when I dig down deeper and ask some questions I
find out that they're all doing one thing wrong. It comes
in different forms, but it's all the same mistake.

They think that if they have a really good workout, they
can "reward" themselves with an unhealthy snack.

Or, if they have had a really hard day/week, they give in
to some temptation or comfort food.

It's just this one time, right?

Many people think that just because they exercise that they
can eat more unhealthy foods and not have any consequences.
After all, exercise burns calories and so if you eat extra
calories they won't matter in the grand scheme of things,
right?

Have you ever had that thought?

Or have you told yourself that if you stay diligent and
focused all week that you can let it all hang out on the
weekends, because you deserve it after all your hard work?

Or maybe you're the emotional eater who stays disciplined
80% of the time, but there are those days that make you
want to pull your hair out (or someone else's) and you cope
by drinking alcohol or eating ice cream or cheeseburgers.

Those are all hidden mistakes that will wreak havoc on your
fat loss goals.

Never lose sight of the fact that you're trying to LOSE FAT
and, if that's what you're after, you have to keep an eye
on everything that goes in your mouth (or doesn't go in
your mouth).

You can't justify eating whatever you want just because
you're active. That may be fine for the 20 year old
collegiate athlete, but not the 40 year old, mostly
sedentary, except for the 30-45 minutes of exercise 3-4
days per week man or woman.

Nor can you give in whenever your kids, husband, wife, job,
neighbors, or whatever the trigger is, drives you a little
crazy.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for rewarding yourself once
and a while. I adhere to the 90/10 rule, where I stay
disciplined 90% of the time and 10% I can "loosen the tie"
so to speak and have unhealthy foods or a little alcohol.
That's what I preach in my Fat Loss To Go program and what
I preach to my clients.

Sometimes this mistake is known and sometimes it's
"hidden", but I want you to really look at your eating
habits and ask yourself if this mistake fits you.

Do you justify eating those junky treats because you
deserve it after that awesome workout?

Do you reach for the "Chunky Monkey" ice cream after a hard
day's work?

Do you justify eating and drinking whatever you want on the
weekend because you stayed disciplined all week?

If you answered yes to any of those, or if you thought of
your own, change those habits and you WILL lose fat. That
I can promise.

Have a great day!

----------------------------------------------------
Ed Scow's fast, time efficient fat loss workouts have
helped busy men and women lose fat faster than they ever
could have imagined. Ed's workouts can be done in the
comfort of your own home with limited equipment in as
little as 15-20 minutes! To learn more go to
http://www.fatlosstogo.com/

How To Avoid The Common Cold

How To Avoid The Common Cold
Immune deficiency disorders are nothing to sneeze at!
Whether it's the beginning of a long cold or flu season, or
you are the type of person who worries about this sort of
thing all year round, you probably already know how serious
immune deficiency disorders can be.

The common cold which typically includes a sore throat, a
runny nose, coughing, sneezing and a general depletion of
energy is a viral problem that can be associated with more
than a hundred different viruses. Most adults get colds
about two to four times a year, while in children, that
number can be easily doubled.

Colds are quite contagious and we can get them easily from
being in places where other people have them. You can pick
them up by making contact with a contaminated surface that
an infected person has coughed on and you can also get them
from the air when people cough or sneeze. It is often hard
to tell who might be infected with the common cold as the
most transmutable stage is often slightly before the worst
of the symptoms set in.

It is difficult to avoid contact with the cold virus
altogether, but there is a good chance that simply by
taking a few measures, you can prevent getting infected, or
if you do get infected, you can make sure that it is not
something that will linger on for very long. Many people
know a few methods for taking care of a cold, but you'll
find that there are many things that you can do to make
sure that your cold is taken care of fast.

First, you'll find that too much stress is often a signal
that you'll end up getting sick. Stress will compromise
your immune system, so take some steps to make sure that
you can relax, whether that means taking the time to take a
walk or to simply stopping to read a good book. You'll find
that if you are constantly keyed up and aggravated that you
will soon be adding cold symptoms to the things that you
need to worry about!

Be on the alert for high-risk areas and objects; be very
careful with money, pens, pencils and work stations. The
cold virus is often transferred by touch, so be careful
when you are in public places. Also, remember to make sure
that you never put your hands to your nose or your mouth
before you wash them off; this can be an extremely
important cold prevention tip.

Make sure when you feel a cold coming on to get plenty of
rest, drink plenty of water and take Vitamin C. As you can
see, there are many things that you can do to lessen the
grip a cold has on you, so take action today!

----------------------------------------------------
Scott Becker is an expert author mostly writing on sports
health and nutrition. He is an avid golfer and owns
http://healthfitnessvitamins.com - a health and wellness
supplements company. If you found this article helpful you
can visit their blog now at http://healthfitnessvitamin.com
for more articles like this one.

Get Your Mojo back With A Whole Body Detox

Get Your Mojo back With A Whole Body Detox
In recent times, as stress levels get higher and higher
more and more people want to undergo a whole body detox.
With a rise in erratic lifestyle, the reasons to want a
whole body detox are many. Some want to lose some weight,
while some want to get rid of all the harmful toxins in
their body. But the biggest deterrent in starting a whole
body detox is that most people don't know how to go about
it in the first place.

So here are a few safe, useful and extremely effective
methods with which you can cleanse your system of all those
harmful toxins:-

a) Tip #1: Preservatives and additives in food make them
lose their natural qualities and cause them to do harm. So,
in order to get rid of the toxins, make sure that you avoid
such food at all costs. Also, stay away from dairy,
caffeine, sugary and fatty stuffs and alcohol. Remember,
that the most important way to detox your full body is to
follow a healthy diet. Because, though our bodies usually
have inbuilt methods of cleansing, an unhealthy diet for a
long period of time leads to build-up of toxins.

b) Tip #2: Flushing out of toxins is important. So, drink
plenty of water. But remember to filter it first. Also,
include lots of fibers in your daily diet with as much
fresh and raw fruits and vegetables as you can.

c) Tip #3: There are various effective and easily
available detox cleansers in the market. Coming in
easy-to-use packets and caplets, these cleansers are very
useful to cleanse your internal organs thoroughly. As all
of these are generally made from natural herbs, they leave
you feeling clean and fresh. But do remember to check
whether they are safe before you use them.

d) Tip #4: Try to go 1 to 3 days on only fruit juice. The
idea is to have as much juice as you want and abstain from
everything else for these few days. But do remember that
such a drastic diet might not suit everyone, and always
check with your doctor before starting.

e) Tip #5: Before going on a 1 to 3 day fast, always
remember to have something which will provide your body
with the essential proteins and nutrients and help it to
function properly. Algae powder and fermented soybeans are
some of the dietary supplements which are extremely good in
this regard. The soybean ensures that your colon functions
properly, while the algae powder provides the body with the
much needed protein during a fast. It helps overcome
fatigue and also promotes fullness.

A whole body detox is, as we can see, not a difficult
proposition at all. These few easy steps, followed over a
period of a week ensure that you shed those extra pounds
and feel rejuvenated and fresh. You will be confident and
alert and raring to go out and start your exercise regimen.
But before starting, just remember to consult your doctor
regarding any dramatic diet you may undertake, and you
shall be fine.

----------------------------------------------------
John Khu is a health enthusiast and author of a new eBook
titled "Body Detox Tips". He is devoted to educate others
on the benefit of body detoxification. He is also the
owner of the website called http://www.bodydetoxtips.com
which provides complete and up-to-date information.

7 Fat & 7 Fiber Food Changes to Drop Cholesterol and Weight

7 Fat & 7 Fiber Food Changes to Drop Cholesterol and Weight
If you have high cholesterol or blood pressure, cutting
back on fat and increasing fiber can help lower both. You
may also lose weight in the process!

Try these food changes to reduce your fat and saturated fat
intake. Saturated fat is the hard, artery clogging fat and
you want to stay under 20 grams daily whenever possible.
Total fat should be less than 50 grams for women and 60
grams for men.

1. Eat only 1oz cheese instead of 2oz and save 5 grams
saturated fat. One ounce is the portion of presliced
cheese.

2. Buy 95% lean ground beef instead of regular ground beef
and save 3.5 grams saturated fat for every 3oz portion.
Three ounces is the size of a deck of cards.

3. Instead of whole milk choose 1% and save 3 grams
saturated fat per 8oz serving.

4. Choose tub margarine instead of butter and for every
tablespoon you will save another 5 grams saturated fat.

Here are a few more ideas to trim your overall fat intake:

5. Use low fat cream soups instead of regular for your
casserole dish and save 6 grams fat per serving. That's 15
grams fat less per can!

6. Order an ice cream cone instead of blizzard or shake and
save about 20 grams fat.

7. Order your latte, mocha or cappuccino with nonfat milk
and save about 6-7 grams fat for a 16oz serving.

Believe it or not, there actually are some foods you should
eat more of to lower cholesterol and weight. Try switching
these foods to increase your fiber intake for even more
heart health power!

1. Oatmeal can be a powerful weapon in lowering your LDL,
the "bad" cholesterol that can increase plaque buildup in
the arteries. What is it about oatmeal that makes it so
healthy? Oatmeal is a whole grain and good source of
soluble fiber. It also sticks with us longer to help
control hunger.

2. Add a spoonful of flaxseed to your oatmeal, bread mix,
casserole, yogurt, salad or other foods for the fiber and
omega-3 benefit. You can buy the seed and grind it in
coffee grinder or buy a small package of milled flaxseed.
Be sure to keep refrigerated once ground!

3. Switch pastas, breads, cereals and other starch foods to
whole grain or whole wheat. These changes will double your
fiber intake.

4. Try this to increase fruits & veggie intake: have 1
fruit serving for breakfast, 1 for morning snack, 2 veggies
with lunch and 2 veggies with supper. Now you have the
minimum 5/day you need. Eat more if you like!

5. Beans are one of the best sources of fiber. Try to have
1-2 meals with beans each week. It's easy if you like
chili, bean soups, bean salads, baked beans, black beans,
bean dips or beans in Mexican dishes.

6. Don't forget about nuts and seeds. Add nuts to your day
for a snack or to salads. Just watch the serving size
because they are high calorie!

7. Enjoy popcorn for your snack. 3 cups gives you 3 grams
fiber! Just go easy on the butter or oil.

Total fiber intake should be 20-35 grams fiber daily but
don't worry about the numbers. Just be sure to increase
fiber gradually and drink enough water to avoid cramping
and bloating.

----------------------------------------------------
Karen Marschel, RD, LD, CDE is a registered licensed
dietitian and certified diabetes educator providing
personalized online weight management services. Sign up
for her free newsletter at http://www.dietMN.com

Spring Cleaning - 5 Easy Ways To Clean All Levels of Your Being

Spring Cleaning - 5 Easy Ways To Clean All Levels of Your Being
Spring is a time when the energy shifts and all beings and
plants wake up from winter hibernation and a new cycle of
life begins. Take advantage of this energy shift and let it
boost your own renewal at all levels of your being.

By becoming aware of your existence at all levels, from the
physical to the spiritual you are able to do spring
cleaning in a truly holistic way.

Health is so much about keeping the flow going, whether it
is in your closet, digestive tract or the thoughts you
think. The input must be balanced with equal output, or
there is congestion and stagnation, which spells trouble.

Here a few easy tips to get you going with spring cleaning
at various levels of your life. Try one, a few or all of
them, depending on what you feel you need right now.

1. De-clutter Your Physical Space

Spring cleaning is that traditional cleaning where every
corner is swept, windows washed, walls dusted and carpets
whipped. I am not sure many have the time to do such a
thorough cleaning anymore... but it is not "all or
nothing", capture the energy of "sweeping the winter out",
and do small spaces in your home, like a cupboard, sock
drawer or a closet. An organized living space is calming.

2. De-clutter Your Schedule

Being over and double booked is exhausting! Take a close
look at the activities you are committing to and be sure
that they really ad value to your life, especially before
renewing or recommitting to an activity. If you have kids,
this also goes for their activities.

3. Clean Out Your Physical Body

In traditional cultures spring and fall are times when
cleansing is done. It seems our bodies naturally begin
cleansing at these "change of season" times. Your body's
attempt at cleaning out may manifest as a cold, which is
really just natures way of detoxing.

Why not beat "yourself" to it and do a detox that is more
pleasant than having a cold. Dedicate 1-14 days to eating a
diet that is extra "clean" consisting of lots of veggies,
quality protein and water. Avoid sugar, processed food,
alcohol and refined grains. To stimulate a deeper cleanse
you can also take an herbal detox kit, like Wild Rose or
Heel.

If your lifestyle doesn't allow you to detox for several
days, try a one day juice fast. Be sure to do it on a day
when you can relax and take it easy. For instructions on
how to do a 1-Day-Juice-Fast go to
http://www.truepurposeliving.com/downloads/1dayjuicefast.pdf

4. Tune Your Organs of Elimination

Your organs of elimination are where your "garbage" in
handled or exits, and include your bowel, kidneys, lungs,
skin and liver. Give yourself a tune up, just like you give
your car a tune up periodically for future good performance.

My favorite way of doing this is with drainage remedies.
Drainage remedies are low potency (low dilution) formulas
from a selected blend of plants and minerals that targets
the various organs of elimination. Ask your natural health
practitioner to help you with drainage.

5. De-clutter Your Mind

The physical clutter in your environment may pale in
comparison to the constant stream of thoughts, relevant or
not, that race through your mind. To get a break from this
flow, begin by becoming aware of your thoughts, pretend to
be an outside observer.

Set aside a few moments every day, they don't have to be
long, where you can consciously quiet your "internal voice"
and just follow the rhythm of your breath. This will clean
your inner space, slow your breathing, lower your blood
pressure and raise your awareness.

----------------------------------------------------
For more natural ways to boost your health and well being I
invite you to get a complimentary copy of my special report
"Your Individual Diet - Eating for More Energy, Better
Sleep & Clearer Thinking? It will guide you towards a
personalized diet in a few easy steps. Just go to
http://www.AnnikaEk.com and get your copy now!

6 Ways to Dress Yourself Slim

6 Ways to Dress Yourself Slim
As you move through your weight loss program you may start
to notice your clothes don't fit you in quite the same way
anymore. Perhaps you're pants are looser or your blouses
are roomier.

Whether it's because you need a smaller size, or because
your wardrobe is ready for a pick me up...take a look at
some of these clever ways you can dress yourself slim.

Be Earthy

When you wear lighter colors, your flaws are more
noticeable. In the middle of a weight loss program the
trick is to celebrate our successes, not point out or
problem areas, so, wear by darker clothes. However, be
careful how much black you wear. The key is really to cut
down on the light colors, which can also wash you out
depending on your skin tone. Keep a stock of darker
clothes, with earthy colors, but not ALL black.

Geometry Please

Never wear clothes with a fabric cut that exaggerates a
problem area. Avoid horizontal stripes and designs.
Horizontal lines make you appear wider than you actually
are. If you like designs, go for the vertical stripes or no
stripes at all.

Create a V

Try exposing more of your neck. When your neck appears
longer, it has a slimming affect. Wear low cut blouses or
shirts with v-necks to highlight your beautiful neck. Adorn
your neck with an eye catching necklace to complete the
look.

Go Low

I'm not a huge fan of low rise pants because I find them a
bit too restrictive for my activities, but fashion gurus
swear by low rise pants. Low rise jeans somehow magically
elongate your torso, making you appear longer and less
bulky. Most styles today are low rise so they should be
easy to find at almost any retailer. If the low rise jeans
leave some of your skin exposed, carefully select a blouse
with a flattering cut of fabric, one that won't cling to
any problem areas.

Style Shop

Hairstylist will swear to you that to appear smaller you
should keep your hair out of your face. Now, you definitely
have your own favorite style, so I won't advise for or
against long hair, short hair, purple hair. One cool thing
that some salons offer to their clientele is a sneak peek
computer generated program. You can see a handful of
different hair styles before committing to a new look. Find
a salon that will let you test out some new hairstyles to
compliment the new you.

Look Here

And lastly, wear accessories that will draw attention to
areas you want people to notice. Been working on slimming
your waist and you're feeling confident? Then put on that
snazzy belt and get them talking. If you're still working
on yourself and don't want to draw a lot of attention to
your body, wear breath taking hair accessories, earrings,
or carry a remarkable bag or tote.

Be patient with yourself as you make these lifestyle
changes. It takes courage and determination to stick with a
weight loss plan. Celebrate your successes and look the
part of a loser ' the good kind!

----------------------------------------------------
Debbie endeavors to encourage women to take care of their
bodies and feed their minds with good positive thoughts.
She shares her expertise on natural weight loss and
radiantly healthy living at her blog http://weonadiet.com .

How an Infrared Sauna Improved My Health, Skin and Muscle Aches

How an Infrared Sauna Improved My Health, Skin and Muscle Aches
I first started to looking into purchasing a far infrared
sauna about six months ago, when both myself and my
boyfriend were fed up with our constantly aching necks and
backs from sitting at our desks at our respective office
jobs all of the time. Not only that, I wanted a place that
was an oasis from the hectic days during the work week, and
somewhere that I could unwind and enjoy an enveloping
warmth.

Dry heat has always been relaxing and soothing to me,
especially since I suffer from asthma. There's just
something about a penetrating heat, like the kind you get
from sitting in the sun, and not surprisingly, the kind
that an infrared sauna gives off, that makes you feel
deeply relaxed and tranquil.

This is precisely what we wanted out of a sauna, and so I
began my search for the perfect infrared sauna. We ended
up getting a four person unit installed in our basement
about 4 weeks ago, and ever since it's been there, we've
been in it every single night without fail. I can't even
begin to describe the changes in my health and mental
clarity that have resulted since then.

First of all, the benefits the heat offers to anyone who
has problems with knotted, sore muscles frequently are
almost priceless, since it offers immediate relief, and
even extended relief into your next day. Radiant heat, the
type that is used in this type of sauna bath, is different
from the kind of heat the is emanated from a traditional
sauna, in that it actually heats the body directly rather
than just heating the air around the body.

Because it heats the body directly, it can penetrate up to
one to two inches into the tissue, just like the heat of
the natural sun, and it warms the muscles and tissues below
the surface, creating more circulation and soothing sore
muscles, also reducing lactic acid build up.

I noticed from the first evening I used ours that my
muscles were almost instantly soothed, and my body almost
went limp as soon as I hit the dry heat. I also happen to
not have the best circulation, so for me it feels wonderful
to heat my extremities like my toes and fingers and get the
blood flowing and pumping just as though I'd worked out.

I don't think that a sauna should be used as a replacement
for exercise, but I can see why it may be used in place of
physical activity for people who can't move around very
easily due to physical limitations. Not only is it
excellent in it's physical benefits, but it also helps
immensely with stress and anxiety.

I swear, just by hopping in for a half hour to forty
minutes makes me feel happy, almost like a new woman.
There is some research suggesting that the radiant heat may
help the body produce endorphins, and while I can't confirm
how true that is, I can certainly say it applies in my
situation.

So, now that I've obviously sung the praises of what our
new addition has done for my muscle soreness, let me tell
you what else I've noticed since I've been using it. I've
noticed that my skin looks pristine.

I've had issues with acne in the past, and still do
struggle with the occasional blemish from time to time even
being in my thirties today, and since I've been using this
sauna, my skin has looked clear and toned, and I've even
received several complements that it looks smoother and
more radiant.

That is a benefit that I was only half expecting, but
believe me, when you're dealing with skin problems your
whole life, from acne to wrinkles, it's exhilarating to see
your skin look so good.

Some of the health benefits of the infrared sauna that I've
read extensively about but have not had enough time to
fully gauge yet due to only using it for a few weeks is
that you rarely will get sick when using this since it
produces a sort of "artificial fever" that kills harmful
germs and viruses before they can make you sick many times.
I haven't been sick at all yet since we've owned it, but
like I said, time will tell with that one.

The heat produced that penetrates the tissues is also
supposed to be excellent for toxic drainage, and that
includes helping to get rid of cellulite. So, since I've
always had cellulite to varying degrees on my thighs and
buttocks, I've decided to start using a pronged massager
after I've been in the sauna for twenty minutes or so, when
my skin has heated, and massaging it really well to help
smooth out those areas.

It really seems to be helping so far, and I'm hoping that
with more time I will see a nice, dramatic reduction in
cellulite. I also use a cellulite cream in conjunction
with this regimen, and am hoping that will also boost the
effectiveness of cellulite reduction.

All in all, our infrared sauna has been one of the smartest
investments we've ever made in our health. We wouldn't
trade it for the world, and hope to get many years of
enjoyment out of the spa-like environment and
stress-busting quiet heat.

----------------------------------------------------
Danna Schneider has reviewed countless beauty, fitness and
health products, and reviews some of the best makes and
model of infrared saunas here at
http://www.fitnessnewsmagazine.com/far-infrared-sauna-review
s-and-ratings/ She also founded
http://www.dietingmagazine.com , an online help, review and
advice site dedicated heling people lose weight, control
their appetites and maintain a healthy, slim body.

The History of Plastics and Plastic Surgery

The History of Plastics and Plastic Surgery
While the subspecialty of medicine known as Plastic Surgery
(one of the 22 recognized specialties of medicine) is now
so incredibly common, there are few who would not know what
it is. But yet, I will occasionally get asked this question
by a new patient during our consultation...'now tell me
where the plastic goes'...or...'will the plastic used in
the operation get infected?' Indicating that some still
believe that the name 'plastic' in Plastic Surgery relates
to a material and that plastic surgery operations involve
putting in plastic materials.

While plastic surgery as a medical specialty and synthetic
plastic materials share incredibly similar time periods in
development, there is no direct correlation between the
two. Plastic Surgery was not given its name because it used
plastic materials in surgery. The word, 'plastic', as used
in Plastic Surgery comes from the Greek word, 'plastikos',
meaning to mold, shape, or give form. And this is certainly
an accurate description of what Plastic Surgeons do...cut,
shape, and mold tissues to give human body parts
recognizeable forms whether it be for reconstructive
purposes or for cosmetic alterations. As a medical
specialty, Plastic Surgery became an organized body in 1931
with the formation of the American Society of Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgeons (now known as the American Society
of Plastic Surgeons). It's first formal training program
began several years earlier in 1924 with the establishment
of the first plastic surgery residency at Johns Hopkins in
Baltimore. Formal board-certification in Plastic Surgery
started in 1937 which dramatically raised the standards for
the specialty.

Plastic materials developed right around the same time
frame as Plastic Surgery. The earliest true thermosetting
plastics had their beginning in the late 1800s with the
commerically successful product known as Bakelite
introduced in Britain in the early 1900s. But DuPont with
its polyamide (nylon 66) plastic in the 1930s popularized
the material here in the United States. New plastics
followed quickly such as polystyrene and polymethyl
methacrylate. (acrylic). All these plastic materials become
tremendously popular and necessary during World War II as
components of many military products such as aircraft
canopies and radar units. And here is where plastic
materials share another similarity to Plastic
Surgery...their development was propelled by wars, WWI and
WWII. Military conflicts and the need for personal
protection (plastic materials) and in the treatment of
their war-related injuries (Plastic Surgery) served as a
catalyst for both of their developments.

A final sidenote of both of their pre-WWII history is that
they similarly converged to deal with a growing problem in
the 1930s...motor vehicle accidents. As cars became more
common, so did auto accidents and injuries from the
shattering of glass windshields. Most commonly, severe
facial lacerations resulted from windshields at the time.
Plastic surgeons expressed concern about this problem and
manufacturers, such as DuPont, were spurned on by these
efforts to develop shatterproof windshields. As Plastic
Surgery performs many huundreds of different operations
from the face and throughout the body, very few have ever
actually required plastic materials to make the operation
successful. While breast and facial implants, which are
very common and popular cosmetic operations today do use
synthetic materials, they are a silicone-based rubber
material. Technically, not a plastic material in the
organic chemistry sense. Only one operation in all of
Plastic Surgery has ever really used a plastic material and
that is an acrylic cranioplasty where a section of the
skull is replaced by a 'plastic piece'. While not as
commonly done today, acrylic cranioplasties are still done
by some Plastic Surgeons and neurosurgeons as well.

----------------------------------------------------
Dr Barry Eppley is a board-certified plastic surgeon in
private practice at Clarian Health in Indianapolis,
Indiana. He writes a daily blog on trends in plastic
surgery at http://www.exploreplasticsurgery.com

Reasons to Exercise

Reasons to Exercise
Sure, we know we need to exercise for health, but what are
the real reasons to exercise?

Well, the list can be very long, but here are a few items
you may wish to consider.

Exercise will help with fat loss: Notice, I did NOT say,
"weight loss". You see, while weight can be a general
indicator of health and fitness, it isn't a perfect
indicator. People have different body types, for example,
and a physically fit, attractive, and perfectly healthy
person can weigh more than what the charts say they should.
It isn't necessarily what you weigh that's as important as
what that weight is comprised of. After all, at his peak
of health and fitness, Arnold Schwarzenegger was
"overweight" but had a very low level of fat on his body.

While some fat in and on the body is necessary to health
and proper functioning of various systems within the body,
it is excess fat which becomes the villain and which must
be gotten rid of. You exercise to do a lot of good things
for your body, and to burn fat is one of them.

YOU have heard that exercise burns calories, but, when done
properly, it will also burn fat. Burning calories is
important because excess calories is where fat comes from,
and when we burn the calories through physical activity,
they do not have a chance to be stored as fat.

People who are overweight are more likely to be susceptible
to a wide range of health difficulties.

Exercise can help prevent disease: It has been demonstated
through many studies that participating in regular physical
activity can help prevevent the occurence of many diseases
and degenerative conditions such as heart disease, cancer,
diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, and depression.

These studies also show that a lack of exercise is often a
contributing risk factor in many of these diseases and
conditions. Sometimes, the effect of exercise is indirect
but still of importance. As mentioned above, exercising to
lose weight is a common goal, but often, a direct effect of
losing weight is improved health in many areas.

Exercise helps improve overall health: Well, if regular
exercise, combined with healthy eating and living
practices, can help combat disease and degenerative
conditions, isn't that a pretty big deal? If, in addition
to that, a regular program of physical activity can
indirectly produce positive health effects as well, such as
in the discussion on exercise and weight loss above, isn't
that even better? What more do you need to say about the
subject?

Of course, those are some great points, but when you
consider the overall positive effects of exercise on the
immune system, the muscular system, the bones, the
cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary systems, you can see
that the value of regular moderate exercise can be even
greater than originally anticipated. The person who
exercises regularly CAN, in most cases, expect a more
effective immune system to combat ill-health in many forms,
stronger bones (an effect that can carry over into the
senior years), a stronger, healthier heart and lungs,
which, in turn, will make life easier and healthier.

Oh yes, don't forget the stronger muscles which will be
available to carry that healthy body around!

Exercise can improve your mental state: You may have heard
of "runner's high", that euphoric feeling that those who
exercise regularly become familiar with. It's not just a
state of mind! It is actually a result of the active body
manufacturing, releasing, and/or activating "feel good"
chemicals. Not only will the body and brain be exposed to
natural, internal products such as endorphins and seratonin
DURING the exercise period, but levels will commonly remain
elevated in the regular exerciser.

Exercise to relieve depression has long been a standard in
the arsenal of phychological health. Exercise and stress
(which can be involved in a myriad of health problems) is a
much studied area, and the verdict is in. Exercise can
help improve not only depression and stress, but can even
elevate the ability of the brain to function as it goes
about its daily tasks, including regulating the processes
of the body, and as it attempts to solve problems, learn
new tasks, and make sense of the vast amount of data the
moder person is exposed to.

While on the subject of how you feel, let's touch briefly
on "how you feel about yourself".

When you take positive steps to improve yourself, you feel
better...and better about yourself. As your body becomes
leaner, trimmer, more effective, you feel better...and
better about yourself. As you become stronger, healthier,
and more full of the joy of living, you feel better...and
better about yourself. Feelings such as these cannot help
but be radiated out towards those around you, and be
reflected back at you, making you feel better...and better
about yourself!

Having said all that, it comes as no surprise that....

Exercise improves your ability to function socially: Not
only will you feel better, look better, be healthier, and
have a better self image and improved self confidence, but
you will actually be better able to perform socially.
Whether you want to learn to do ballroom dancing, ice
skating, or simply stand face-to-face with someone who once
would have overwhelmed you with THEIR presence, you will be
better able to stand your ground. You will know that you
are better prepared mentally and physically to meet the
rigors of life, love (and sex), work, and play...and enjoy
it!

Exercise does not have to be hard...at least at first. It
is something that you get more out of the more you put in.
However, at first, if you have not been exercising, any
small change to get started is literally a step in the
right direction. Oh, eventually you will probably need
some good shoes, a set of barbells, a yoga mat, or a
professional fitness trainer, but at the start, you will
just need the knowledge of what regular exercise can do for
you, and the willingness to get started and stay with it.

Maybe the reasons to exercise I have outlined above will
help.

----------------------------------------------------
Donovan Baldwin is a freelance writer currently living in
central Texas. He is a University of West Florida alumnus,
a member of Mensa, and is retired from the U. S. Army after
21 years of service. He has published many of his articles
on diet and weightloss at
http://nodiet4me.com/articledirectory .

Weight Loss

Weight Loss
Obesity is of concern throughout the world, with growing
numbers of children and adults being added to statistics.
Some 1.2 billion people are reputed to be overweight. Many
of these people, hopefully, will eventually search for a
weight loss product to cure their problem.

It is well known that traditional diet plans just don't
work. They may provide temporary weight loss, but in most
cases the weight lost is gained again in a matter of
months. What usually happens is that soon after your diet
ends you go back to the way you were eating before you lost
weight.

There are certain dangers associated with dieting. Young
people, for example, influenced by what they read in
magazines, try to copy the slim look of models or
celebrities ' with sometimes disastrous results. A total
ban or restrictions of certain food groups can deprive the
body of much needed nutrients, leading to poor growth and
health problems ' and sometimes death.

Great progress has been made over the years with our
general health, but now there is the possibility that this
good work could be reversed if we do not contain the
obesity problem. In China, for example, an estimated 1 in
10 city dwelling children are obese. In the United States,
more than 30% of adult males and females are overweight.

Traditionally, fatty foods and sugary drinks are blamed for
the obesity crisis sweeping developed countries. Diets have
moved from being plant-based to high fat, animal-based
diets. People are getting fatter through increasing calorie
intake, but not offsetting this through an increase in
physical activity. Of particular concern is that while we
are increasing our consumption of fat and sugar, our
consumption of cereals, fruit and vegetables is considered
inadequate.

In searching for the best weight loss product you should
ensure that the system involves letting you lose the weight
gradually. There will be no undue stress on your body, thus
you should feel you are losing the weight naturally ' not
dieting. You should not feel deprived, but feel satisfied
after every meal. Does such a product exist?

There is a weight loss system that works simply by
adjusting your normal food intake routine. We are told that
if we eat the wrong foods at the wrong time of day, we will
put on weight as the body doesn't burn calories efficiently
and stores fat. This process can be controlled, however, if
we eat selected foods at designated times. By following the
program's procedure, the body will burn calories more
efficiently and obesity can be avoided.

This weight loss program encourages you to shift certain
types of food eaten via a "Shifting Calories" system. There
is no reduction in meals or food eaten. You eat a regular
four meals a day, spaced out as evenly as possible so that
your body receives fewer calories at each sitting. Because
you adopt an irregular eating pattern, your metabolism
stays high and you lose weight.

The system enables you to feel satisfied after each meal,
thus you will resist the temptation to over-eat. There is
no limit to the number of different foods at any single
meal and you will not feel hungry between meals.

A variety of food is available, including vegetables,
proteins and fruits, as long as the food is shifted around
as per the Shifting Calories eating plan.

Thousands of people worldwide are using the Shifting
Calories program successfully to achieve permanent weight
loss.

----------------------------------------------------
Bob Gill
http://www.homebusinesslink.com
Weight Loss
http://www.homebusinesslink.com/weightlossrecipe.html

Why My Friends Think I'm So Smart

Why My Friends Think I'm So Smart
Over the last few months, my friends seem to think I have
gotten a lot smarter. They notice I am able to wow them
with my knowledge of political events (I can talk with the
best of them about superdelegates, vice presidential
choices, McCain's seemingly continued gaffes about Iraq and
Iran). They are impressed at my apparent knowledge of some
of the latest medical news (let's talk stents versus
surgery, the benefits of clinical trials, and, lest we
forget, the importance of compression only CPR). And on
Monday mornings, I can go on forever about the latest
events that were on public television and public radio news
(not to mention my favorite game show).

Not only that, but as I become this learned genius, I am
also becoming a more active person. Why, it's a win-win
situation.

So, you may ask, what exactly have I been doing? What
amazing exercise/current events program have I enrolled in?
Where can one go to become active AND smart at the same
time?

It's easy. I'm walking. I am walking, and listening to my
podcasts. Several times a week, I update my recordings
with the most recent news from various sources, as well as
medical updates from a large medical/teaching hospital.
Some of the newspapers also have daily health updates, so I
get them, too.

There, you have my secret. It's so very interesting to be
able to go outside (it is starting to warm up here in New
England, which means I only wear two layers and a scarf,
instead of snow pants and a hat), put these little earbuds
into my head, and suddenly I am, as they say, off and
running.

If the show is really interesting, I will walk the extra
steps just to get to the end of it, whether its news or
medical information. It is really quite painless, and, as a
science geek and political junkie, very enlightening.

I realize that not everyone shares my taste in radio/news
shows, but I wanted to tell you one of the ways I have
found to get walking into my daily routine without having
to think about how painful it can be (not physically, just
psychologically). I suppose it is a distraction for me,
and I'm not thinking "oh dear, I need to walk another
twenty minutes to meet my self prescribed goal." Rather I
find myself thinking about the different people whose
voices I've come to enjoy discuss current events.

Maybe you don't like politics, and that's possibly a good
thing. But there are tons of other topics you could find
in cyberspace that could keep you company as you improve
your fitness. Music, cooking shows, why, many colleges
post lectures that can be loaded onto music players to keep
you company as you get your exercise.

My secret doesn't just apply to walking either, you know.
If you don't like to walk outside, but prefer cycling or
the treadmill, you can just as easily listen on the
machines. Now, if you are a swimmer, I'm afraid I can't
help you there.

So if you find yourself needing motivation to get moving,
try my suggestion. You may not whistle while you work, but
you can certainly listen while you walk.

----------------------------------------------------
If you would like more information on becoming At Peace
With Food™, as well as access to interesting articles and
links to nutritional resource websites, visit=>
http://www.AtPeaceWithFood.com/freetips.html